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United States Patent |
5,586,621
|
Moon
,   et al.
|
December 24, 1996
|
Safety chocks for boat trailers and the like
Abstract
A pair of wheel safety chocks for blocking the rear wheels of a vehicle
having a boat trailer or the like in tow, the safety chocks being
connected together by a rope which, in use, is positioned so that it
passes over the trailer hitch and between it and the vehicle bumper. So
positioned, the rope is long enough to allow the chocks to block both rear
wheels simultaneously. Moreover, without anyone repositioning either the
chocks or the rope, the rope interacts with the vehicle bumper, as the
vehicle is being driven forward, releasing the safety chocks and pulling
them out of the path of the wheels of the oncoming trailer.
Inventors:
|
Moon; Tracy L. (1524 Wolfsnare Rd., Virginia Beach, VA 23451);
Schlener; Lewis C. (1718 Sunset Pl., Ft. Myers, FL 33901)
|
Appl. No.:
|
544259 |
Filed:
|
October 16, 1995 |
Current U.S. Class: |
188/4R; 188/32 |
Intern'l Class: |
B60T 003/00 |
Field of Search: |
188/4 R,32
D12/217
410/30
|
References Cited
U.S. Patent Documents
2386595 | Oct., 1945 | Connell et al. | 188/4.
|
2522104 | Sep., 1950 | Edwards | 188/32.
|
3444963 | May., 1969 | Davis | 188/32.
|
3664466 | May., 1972 | Rotheiser | 188/32.
|
3800917 | Apr., 1974 | Vick | 188/32.
|
3810530 | May., 1974 | Jay | 188/32.
|
4917219 | Apr., 1990 | Henry | 188/32.
|
Primary Examiner: Oberleitner; Robert J.
Assistant Examiner: Schwartz; Chris
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Leon; Harry I., Steadman; Vivian L.
Claims
It is claimed:
1. A method of removing wheel blocks from behind the rear wheels of a
vehicle hitched to a trailer, comprising passing a flexible member
connected to the blocks over the trailer hitch in such a way that when the
vehicle moves forward, a portion of the flexible member moves with it,
dragging the blocks out of the way of the trailer.
2. A method of blocking rear wheels of a vehicle hitched to a trailer,
comprising:
(a) placing a pair of wedge-shaped blocks rearwardly of the rear wheels,
each block abutting one of the wheels and forming a wedge beneath the
wheel in the event the vehicle begins to roll backwards; and
(b) passing a flexible member connecting the blocks over the trailer hitch,
the flexible member being of sufficient length that when the flexible
member is passed over the hitch, the blocks can be placed behind the rear
wheels so as to prevent them from rolling backwards; the flexible member
being passed over the hitch in such a way that when the vehicle moves
forward, a portion of the flexible member moves with it, dragging the
blocks out of the way of the trailer.
3. A device inserted behind a vehicle having two rear wheels, comprising:
(a) a pair of wedge-shaped blocks; and
(b) an elongated flexible member having distal ends thereof connected to
the blocks, the flexible member being of sufficient length that a
mid-section thereof can be temporarily attached to the vehicle when one of
the blocks is positioned behind each of the rear wheels in such a way as
to prevent the vehicle from rolling backwards, the flexible member being
temporarily attached to the vehicle in such a way that when the vehicle
moves forward, a portion of the flexible member moves with it, dragging
the blocks.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
During the launch of a boat using a trailer or, alternatively, while
loading a boat on a trailer, it is often necessary to wedge safety chocks
against the rear wheels of the towing vehicle. Otherwise, it may be drawn
into the water.
According to the prior art, removal of these safety chocks is an operation
requiring two people: a driver for the towing vehicle and a second person
to remove the chocks, as the towing vehicle is being driven forward and
before the trailer wheels can come into contact with them. Unfortunately,
this approach creates a hazardous situation for the second person when he
tries to get in between the towing vehicle and the trailer so that he can
remove the chocks.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of this invention is to facilitate removal of safety chocks from
the rear wheels of a vehicle with a trailer in tow as it is being moved,
from a parked position, off of a loading/unloading ramp.
A further object of this invention is to provide a device that will
automatically, and at an appropriate time, remove the safety chocks from
the path of the oncoming trailer without either the driver getting out of
the towing vehicle or a second person interjecting himself between it and
the trailer.
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a pair of
safety chocks connected to each other by an elongated flexible member such
as a rope. Each of the chocks comprises a prism-like block having at least
two intersecting sidewalls disposed at an acute angle to each other, the
acute angle being substantially less than a right angle. Moreover, the
block defines a through opening for slideably engaging the rope, the
opening extending between, and perpendicularly to, distal end faces of the
block. The rope itself includes a pair of knots formed therein on either
side of each chock for constraining its movements longitudinally along the
rope.
Traversing each chock at or near the center of gravity thereof, the through
opening preferably parallels an edge of the chock formed at the
intersection of two sidewalls disposed at an acute angle to each other.
When the chocks are employed to prevent the vehicle from rolling, one of
these two sidewalls abuts the wheel itself and the other faces downwardly.
In use, after the trailer has been backed far enough down a boat ramp or
the like, the pair of chocks is placed behind the rear wheels of the
towing vehicle, each chock forming a wedge between one of its rear wheels
and the ramp. Simultaneously, the rope is passed over the trailer hitch
and threaded between its ball and the bumper of the towing vehicle.
After loading/launching the boat, no one has to remove the chocks manually.
Rather, as the towing vehicle is being driven forward, the chocks are
released automatically and then dragged by the towing vehicle out of the
path of the trailer. Once the towing vehicle has been moved off of the
ramp, the driver can simply retrieve the chocks and place them in storage
for the next use.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the safety chocks and connecting rope in
accordance with the present invention, only fragments of the rope being
shown for ease of illustration;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view, on a reduced scale, of the chocks and rope
according to FIG. 1, the chocks being shown in position for use behind the
rear wheels of a vehicle towing a trailer, the vehicle and trailer being
illustrated by dashed lines;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view, on a reduced scale, of the chocks and rope
according to FIG. 1, the chocks being shown after the towing vehicle has
been driven forward freeing the chocks and dragging them out of the path
of the trailer, the vehicle and trailer being illustrated by dashed lines;
FIGS. 4 and 5 are plan and elevational views, respectively, on an enlarged
scale, of one of the safety chocks, without the rope being inserted
therethrough but otherwise according to FIG. 1; and
FIG. 6 is a cross-section taken along line 6--6 of FIG. 5, but with the
rope being inserted through the safety chock and only a fragmentary
portion of the rope being shown for ease of illustration.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to the drawings, an apparatus having a pair of safety chocks 11,
21, referred to generally by the numeral 10, is shown installed behind the
rear wheels 31, 32 of a towing vehicle 30 (FIG. 2). Interconnected to the
other chock by a flexible line such as a rope 13, each safety chock 11, 21
comprises a prism with distal end faces 14, 14'; 24, 24' defining a
through opening 12, 22, respectively, for receiving the rope. Movements of
each chock 11, 21 along the rope 13 are constrained by knots 34, 34'; 44,
44' formed therein at both ends of the chock.
Made of hemp, nylon, polypropylene or the like, the rope 13 measures, by
way of example, about 10 feet in length and about one-half inch in
diameter. The safety chocks 11, 21 themselves are preferably right
triangular prisms, about 5 inches in height by 3 inches in width,
fabricated in such a way from plastic, metal, wood or the like way that
they are strong, compact, lightweight and readily storable. Each prism is
wedge-shaped, including at least two intersecting sidewalls 15, 16; 25, 26
that are disposed at an acute angle to each other, the acute angle being
substantially less than a right angle. In the case of chocks 11, 21 which
are right triangular prisms, as in the preferred embodiment, the chocks
also include a second set of sidewalls 15, 16'; 25, 26' disposed at an
acute angle to each other.
Once the towing vehicle 30 has been parked on a launching/loading ramp, the
pair of chocks 11, 21 is placed, with the rope 13 passing over the trailer
hitch, behind the rear wheels 31, 32 of the towing vehicle. With the
sidewall 15, 25 of the chock 11, 21 abutting the rear wheel 31, 32,
respectively, the chock forms a wedge between the rear wheel and the ramp
in the event the vehicle begins to roll. By threading the rope 13 between
the ball of the trailer hitch and the bumper of the towing vehicle 30, one
also prepares the apparatus 10 so that chocks 11, 21 can be removed later,
as the towing vehicle is being driven forward, without further effort on
the part of either the driver or a second person.
With the rope 13 so threaded, the chocks 11, 21 are released automatically
and dragged out of the path of the trailer, whenever the towing vehicle 30
begins to move up the ramp. Once the towing vehicle 30 has been moved off
of the ramp, the driver can simply retrieve the chocks 11, 21 and place
them in storage for the next use.
It is understood that those skilled in the art may conceive other
applications, modifications and/or changes in the invention described
above. Any such applications, modifications or changes which fall within
the purview of the description are intended to be illustrative and not
intended to be limitative. The scope of the invention is limited only by
the scope of the claims appended hereto.
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